


A Fated Meeting

by aolady



Category: Brave Frontier
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-26
Updated: 2016-09-26
Packaged: 2018-08-17 10:18:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8140451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aolady/pseuds/aolady





	

That afternoon was the first afternoon when Aozora and Alice arrived back at their home in Elgaia from Vilanciel. Aozora was standing on her backyard and Alice was peeking from the door as Aozora chanted her summoning spell, the gem on her staff and magic bracelet shone brightly in response of her spell. A big, black obsidian gate appeared before Aozora. She touched the gate, which shone with blue light upon the contact. When the light faded, a blue-haired woman was standing before her. She has long hair, with a bun on her head. Her height was about the same with Aozora's, and judging from her appearance, she could be the part of a royalty in the past. She was really beautiful, but something was bugging Aozora's mind. Aozora didn't know the woman who wais standing in front of her, but as Aozora looked at her, she felt a familiar warmth she missed.

"What was this feeling?" Aozora asked herself.

"Is this... Summoning?" The blue-haired woman asked, then she looked as if she was wondering, "I wonder if that child was safely delivered to the Elder Summoner..."  
Hearing the recently-summoned unit spoke about Elder Summoner, Aozora flinched a little.  
"Elder Summoner... of Akras Summoners' Hall?" was the question that escaped Aozora's mouth. The woman nodded as the response, then looked at her Summoner.  
"Ah! Where is my manner..." Aozora blushed. "U... Uhm, I am Aozora... I... I hope we can work together from now on."  
"Nice to meet you too, Aozora." Aozora's heart fluttered as the woman mentioned her name. "My name is Mariela. I hope we can work together too."  
Mariela smiled at Aozora; a familiar smile that Aozora missed. As Aozora wondered, Mariela looked to the door, from where Alice was peeking. "Who is that girl standing there?" she asked.  
Aozora looked to the direction of her Unit's gaze. "Ah! That is my daughter, Alice. Alice, come here! Mom will introduce you to her."  
Alice walked towards her mother, then she looked at Mariela. "Hello... M-my name is Alice..." said the little girl.  
Mariela smiled as she kneeled in front of Alice, "Nice to meet you, Alice." then she looked at Aozora, "she is really cute!! Ah... now I missed my child... how is my child right now...?" her gaze then met Alice's. "You looked like me when I was about the same age as you."  
Alice smiled shyly before she looked at her mother. "Mom, she looks really warm. Alice likes her, Mom. Her warmth feels just like Mom's warmth... but... Alice... Alice thinks Alice has met her before... but this is also the first time Alice meets her..." then she tilted her head, "Auntie looks very familiar... but Alice can't tell... Uuugh... if only Daddy is here, but he hasn't come back..."  
Aozora gasped. Alice felt the same with her. This was the first time she met Mariela, but... The warmth in her heart... What was this? The last time she felt this was when her mother still alive. When Aozora's gaze met Mariela's, she felt like she wanted to hug her, crying on her lap or her embrace, then telling her about everything that burdens her heart.

But she never met Mariela before!

".....Aozora?" Mariela's soft voice reached Aozora's ears.  
Aozora flinched. "Ah, p-pardon me... It seems that I was daydreaming. Uhm... Can I ask some question, errr..."  
"Mariela is fine." Mariela smiled, another familiar smile that bugged Aozora's mind.  
"Uhm, alright..." Aozora still looked nervous. "Er... You said something about Elder Summoner. Can you... tell me a bit about your past?" then suddenly she stopped, as she noticed that her question was too direct. She quickly added, "Uhm, I mean... Only if you want to..."  
Meanwhile, Mariela looked serious. It was not like she was angry (which made Aozora relieved), but rather, she was considering the answer. Aozora and Alice fell into a silence, waiting for Mariela's answer.

***

"I was a native of a small kingdom in Elgaia." Mariela finally spoke. "Due to my power, I was abducted and taken away to a land I foresaw with my clairvoyance named ‘Ishgria’. But then, he came and saved me..."  
Aozora noticed that Mariela blushed a little. "Who is he, if I may know?"  
"He was the leader of a dragon tribe residing in that land."  
Aozora twitched. _Dragon tribe...?! No... Must be a coincidence._  
"After he rescued me... I became his wife." Mariela smiled shyly, a strikingly similar smile with Alice.  
"You was saved by the leader of dragon tribe, and you became his wife?" Aozora confirmed. Mariela nodded, smiling warmly to Aozora's curious face.  
"Shortly after that, I was blessed by his child. But then... The remnants of the fallen lion tribe came to exact their revenge for their leader, who was killed by my husband..."  
Aozora's eyes began to widen as Mariela continued, "It happened shortly after I gave birth to my child... They came to annihilate the dragon tribe, especially my child. In order to protect the tribe, I entrusted my child to a female warrior of the tribe, and I tried to contact the Elder Summoner, with the hope that they would protect my child... Afterwards, I used up my life force to form a barrier to protect my husband's tribe and..."  
There was no mistake. As certainty and insight slowly enlightened Aozora's mind, her tears turned into a river, flowing from her eyes, making her down to her knees, as she began crying in front of Mariela.  
"M-Mom?" Alice asked, startled. "Mom, what happened?!"  
"A-Aozora?!" Mariela shocked, kneeled to see Aozora's face. She looked worried with the sudden change of her Summoner's emotion.  
Aozora tried to calm herself as Alice patted her back. Finally, she managed to control herself and asked as she sat, "So... Uhm... I mean, I'm sorry for crying suddenly... I... I mean, errr..." she stuttered, "Ah, s-so you married the dragon tribe leader and gave birth to a son? But then the fallen lion tribe tried to assault the dragon tribe and wanted to kill your son?"  
"Yes," Mariela nodded as she also sat in front of Aozora, then she looked at the Summoner, astonished as she recalled the words Aozora just said. "Wait... Did I mention that my child was a boy?"  
Aozora shook her head slowly as she wiped away her tears. Alice, meanwhile, looked curious. "How did Mom knows?" asked the little girl.  
"How do you know that I have a son...?" Mariela asked, a bit more demanding than before.  
"Er... That is..." Aozora gulped once, didn't really sure how to tell the answer to Mariela. That time, a man appeared behind Alice.

"Aozora?" he called.  
Aozora looked at a man who just entered the backyard. She stood quickly as the man approached her, looked worried as he wiped the tear on Aozora’s face.  
"What happened? Why are you crying?" asked him.  
“Karl, err… that’s…” Aozora stuttered, couldn’t find the right words to tell her husband.  
"Mom just summoned a new Unit~!" Alice chimed.  
“Ah,” Karl looked at Mariela. “You got a new Unit?” he looked at Aozora, who nodded.  
“Greetings.” Mariela smiled. “And who is this?”  
Aozora’s gulped. How can she answer? She wanted to reveal who Mariela is to Karl, but… the words have swallowed as she gulped. Fortunately, Alice was there to answer.  
"This is Alice's Daddy!" Alice chimed, then she looked at Karl. "Daddy, how was Fal Nerga? Did grandpa scold you again?"  
"Alice-" Aozora whispered, but Alice didn't seem to hear that.  
"No, but he told Daddy the name of Daddy's mother. Your grandmother, Alice." Karl answered.  
That time, Aozora turned her head to avoid Karl's glance, and to hid her tears as well.  
"A-Aozora? Why are you crying again?" Mariela asked. Aozora shook her head quickly and snorted, then she hid herself behind Karl, sobbing while she buried her face on his back.  
"Aozora, what happened to you?" asked Karl, but Aozora shook her head again and she clutched to his shirt. At that time, he understood that Aozora must have heard something about the past of the Unit she just summoned.   
“Ah! Now Alice understand!” Alice chimed suddenly, as she looked at Mariela and Karl, who shared strikingly similar expression on their faces.  
“Understand what, Alice?” Karl asked.  
“Aunt Mariela looks really similar with Daddy!” Alice chimed. “The hair color, the eye color… no wonder Alice feels warm when Alice looks at Aunt Mariela… she has similar aura with Daddy!”  
"Wait- Mariela?" Karl looked shocked as he took a good look to the Unit that Aozora summoned. Mariela looked back at Karl who was startled.  
"That would be me." said her. "Nice to meet you, Aozora's husband."  
"No way..." Karl whispered. "He... Barion just told me... I mean... _Mother???_ "

A silence fell between them.

"Eh?" was the only response from Alice. She said that weakly, as her face turned into shock.  
Mariela covered her mouth with her palms. "You... you are... my son?" asked her, couldn't believe her own eyes.  
"N-no way... r-really...?" Karl replied, his eyes widened in shock. Aozora nodded from his back, still buried her face on his shirt.  
“For me and Alice… this is our first time we meet her… after all, she died long before I meet you… but you, you meet her when you are still a baby…” a weak, muffled voice reached Karl, Alice, and Mariela's ears. Slowly, Aozora peeked from her husband's back, and she looked at Mariela.  
“The baby was safe. An Elder Summoner took him back to Elgaia and raised him as his own son…” Aozora paused to take a deep breath, as she feels the emotions slowly filing her heart, “He has grown into…”  
Aozora took a quick glance to her husband, then she looked back at Mariela.  
"…into someone who is easy-going, a bit dense, and likes to tease his own daughter. But even so, he is a fine man. A really fine man. And that man… is standing in front of me right now…”  
Mariela’s eyes widened in shock. Slowly, she walked towards Karl, and she looked at him closely and carefully, as if it was the only chance given to her to see the child she loved and adored so much.  
“Let me introduce ourselves once again…” Aozora said with shaky voice, and she looked at her mother-in-law. “This is Karl. The baby I just mentioned…" then she turned to Karl, "and Karl, this is… your mother.”  
The silence falls between them. Karl looked as if he forgot how to avert his eyes and Mariela’s eyes still widened, but slowly, she gained control over herself as her gaze softened into a tender gaze. She smiled lovingly to Karl, and raised her hands to try to touch her son's cheeks. As her semi-transparent hands landed gently on Karl's cheeks, he could feel a cold sensation from where Mariela was placing her hands. Mariela then turned her head to see Aozora.  
“How do you know…?” asked her.  
“The similarities between you…” Aozora replied. “And the gentle, warm aura I feel from you. They are really similar…” then she looked to the ground. "And I realized that when you told me about the dragon tribe from Ishgria..."  
Mariela smiled gently, then looked back at her son. Karl was still at loss of words, as he looked at his mother.  
“That child… has grown so much…” she whispered with teary eyes.  
“Mother…” Karl replied weakly. Mariela nodded as her response, her face shone as tears started to flow from her eyes. Karl tried to touch his mother’s palm, but failed, as his hand went through Mariela’s hand.  
“Thank goodness… finally… finally you meet her… dear…” Aozora buried her face on Karl's shirt again.  
“It’s because of you… Aozora.” he replied. “You summoned her.” he smiled as Mariela released him. He then backed her mother and patted Aozora’s head. “And thus, allowed me to finally meet her.”  
Aozora smiled at Karl, then buried her face again to hid her weep.  
“There, there.” Karl patted her back. Mariela approached her daughter-in-law, and she patted Aozora's back too, sending cold sensation to Aozora.

Karl let Aozora cries for a while. When he felt that the tremble on his embrace stopped, he called her gently. “Aozora.”  
"Hmmm?” Aozora looked at Karl.  
“Isn’t this the time you properly introduce yourself and Alice to Mother?” asked him.  
Aozora blushed hard. “R-right… uhm…” she wiped her tears and looked at Alice. Alice’s face clearly showed that she lost her words upon learning that the Unit her mother just summoned is her late grandmother. Tears fell from her eyes too, as she witnessed her mother cried. When they looked at Alice, Alice looked at Aozora, then to Karl, then she looked at Mariela.  
“Grandmother…?” Alice asked weakly, almost whispered her shock.  
Mariela looked at Alice. “Yes, Alice?” she replied softly.  
Alice’s amazed face slowly changed as her eyes sparkled, and she smiled to her grandmother.  
"Grandmother is very beautiful!” the little girl chimed. “And warm! Because grandfather is always looking strict and scary-“  
“Alice!!!” Aozora exclaimed. “Naughty Alice, don’t say that to grandmother!”  
“But Mooooom…” Alice cried. "Remember how he scolded Daddy in Fal Nerga? Th-that was scaryyyyyyyyyyyyy."  
Mariela giggled then she patted Alice's head. "Well, that's your grandfather, Alice. But actually... he is not as scary as you think."  
“R-really?” Alice asked.  
“Mmmhmmm.” Mariela smileed to her granddaughter. Alice seemed to still have her doubts, but she nodded anyway.

“Uhm, M-Mother…?” Aozora asked.  
Mariela looked a bit surprised that Aozora called her that, but she smiled. “Yes, Aozora?”  
“When I summoned a Unit, I usually asked them to form a contract too with Alice. So, uhm… Mother, would you like to form a contract with Alice?” asked Aozora.  
“Of course, Aozora.” Mariela smiled. “As a grandmother, I will be happy to look after my granddaughter!”  
Alice threw her hands up as she yelled, “Yaaaaaaaaaaaay!! Finally, finally Alice can see one of her grandmothers!”  
Aozora chuckled and hugged Alice lovingly. “Be a good girl when grandmother is around, okay, Alice?” she asked.  
“Un!” Alice nodded with a big smile on her face. Then she looked at Mariela. When she recalled certain memories inside her, Alice's face suddenly changed. “But… but Grandmother… d-don’t tease Alice like what Daddy did… p-please?”

A silence falls as Mariela looks at Karl, then looks back to her granddaughter.

“What did your Dad do to you, Alice?” asked Mariela.  
“Uhm…” Alice tried to remember, “On the day-offs, Daddy often tease Alice… squeezing Alice’s face like this,” Alice squeezed her cheeks, “or teasingly said that Alice is like a kitty, then…” then she made a sad face and sniffled, "Alice... Alice is not a bun or a cat..."  
Mariela looked at Karl, whose face turned pale.  
“Er… that’s…” he stuttered. Mariela only smiled and she gave Alice the same smile.  
“Don’t worry, Alice, if your Daddy being naughty again, you can just call me to give… him… some advices!” Mariela replied.  
“Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!” Alice chimed again. "Grandmother is the best!"  
Aozora looked at Karl. “Looks like you can’t tease your daughter too much anymore, Karl, dear.”  
Karl looked at Aozora, who smirked at him, and then he sighed.  
“I have a bad feeling that dealing with Mother will be more difficult than dealing with Lugina and Seria...”  
Aozora’s chuckle turned into laughter. “Good luck then, dear!”  
“Aozora, not you too!” Karl pouted.


End file.
